Our travel experts hand-picked some fantastic travel gear this month! We're testing out awesome new items to share with you in September, but in case you missed them, here's a little look back at our readers' most-loved travel products for August!
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Kids today love Wikki Stix as much as we did decades ago! These wax-coated craft strands stick to surfaces without glue & can be used to create little 3D figures, too.
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12 Unique Gift Ideas for the Budget Traveler in Your Life
Discover the ultimate gift guide for backpackers and budget travelers, featuring essential travel gear and experience-based gifts to make their journeys unforgettable.
Everyone travels differently, and these days, budget traveling is becoming more and more popular. I'm certainly a fan of the budget traveling lifestyle, and if you know someone who is always backpacking their way through life, then this article is just for you. This article will highlight some of the best gifts for backpackers and budget travelers so you can send them on their way with new gear, new destinations, and new experiences.
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With the holiday season quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to start adding these gifts to your cart. Who knows, you may even be inspired to start planning a backpacking adventure of your own!
This article is part of our Best Travel Gifts series. If you are looking for even more awesome gift ideas for every type of traveler in your life, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to the Best Gifts for Travelers and the other gift guides in this series:
It always starts with the carry-on, and the balancing act of keeping the essentials at the ready so the journey to the destination is as comfortable as possible. For those who travel often, having these items can be a game changer as far as comfort is concerned, so if your traveler doesn't already have any of these essential travel items, they'll make great travel gifts.
Between layovers, selfies, and doom scrolling, a portable charger is almost a requirement for travel these days. This portable charger by Anker is one of my personal favorites. Not only does it charge your phone super fast, but it also holds a charge for a long time. Its slim design is easy to pack, and I can even get 2+ charges on my iPhone out of this thing.
Whether it’s a road trip or a plane ride, a good travel pillow will seriously change the game for this leg of the journey. Travel pillows have come a long way in recent years, and this travel pillow by Dot&Dot is made out of twistable memory foam, so you can adjust it exactly how you want it.
Water bottles are all the rage these days, but backpackers need a little something more than just a container. This LifeStraw Water Bottle has a two-stage filtration system that prevents you from drinking bacteria and parasites, which is a necessity when you’re pulling water from nature. It’s easy to keep in your backpack or clip to the side with the handy dandy handle.
Exploring the great outdoors is a priority for backpackers, and keeping the outdoors outside has been a struggle since the dawn of time. This gear and shoe storage bag by Luno clamps right onto the side of your car with magnets and keeps all of your muddy belongings separate.
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OnlyInYourState editor Sarah McCosham swears by this storage bag; “This is awesome for camping trips – it keeps the funk out of the car!”
Here’s the thing about packing cubes. I used to not believe the hype until I was gifted a set, and then I became a fan. Packing cubes are fabulous at keeping your stuff organized, though I’m still on the fence about whether or not they actually save any space in your luggage. This packing cube set from REI Co-op is great for backpackers, and at $45, it’s one of the best travel gifts under $50. They’re water-repellent, expandable, and come in four different colors.
Those who travel on a budget tend to prioritize memories over things, so we love experience-based gifts. Some of the best gifts for backpackers are experiences, unique stays, and memberships that they can use again and again. Sure, part of a backpacker's thrill is the craftiness that comes along with the journey, but every now and then, it's nice to splurge on an amazing opportunity like a night at a fancy resort or an incredible tour.
Give your bestie the gift of luxury with a ResortPass so they can enjoy a day living like royalty. With a ResortPass, travelers can gain access to the pools, spas, and other amenities offered at these resorts for a fraction of the price. Currently, ResortPass offers day passes to select hotels and resorts in California, Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Bahamas.
There are more than 5,000 experiences offered through Virgin Experience Gifts, and each one is more inspiring than the next. From sunrise balloon rides through Temecula Wine Country to racing a Lamborghini in Vegas, you can bet you’ll find something your budget traveler will love. The vouchers never expire, and once you purchase the experience it’s instantly delivered to the recipient.
A City Experiences Gift Card is perfect for travelers heading to a big city. City Experiences offers discounted tours for countless locations across the United States, Canada, and Europe, including food tours, sightseeing tours, cruises, and so much more. The best part about the City Experiences Gift Card is you can add whatever dollar amount you want, and they can choose what tours they want to take.
An AllTails + membership is the perfect stocking stuffer for budget travelers. The premium version of everyone’s favorite trail map platform gives you access to features like downloading offline maps, sending routes to a Garmin, wrong turn alerts, access to over 200 trail guides, and so much more. It’s only $35.99 for a full year, and I promise the hikers and travelers in your life will use it on every adventure.
Stocking Stuffers
If your budget backpacker seems to have everything they need, then it's time to get creative with these fun stocking stuffers everyone will love.
This World Map Laundry Bag will keep your traveling loved one inspired even if they have nothing to wear. It also can be rolled up super small to take with them on their next adventure!
Backpackers tend to find themselves in interesting sleeping situations. Maybe they’re roughing it in a tent on the side of a mountain, or maybe they’re in the heart of a city sleeping in a hostel. Regardless, a good eye mask is key to sleeping in when the sun has other plans. This one blocks out all the light while still being breathable, a solid win for less than $10 (at the time of publication).
A solid camera tripod is a great gift for travel photographers, and I honestly never leave home without mine. This tripod from Amazon Basics is lightweight and extends up to 50 inches, which gives you a ton of options while still being able to pack down small enough to fit in a backpack. I personally love my travel tripod, and I take it on all of my adventures. Not only is it crucial for astrophotography and long exposure shots, but it also lets you stay in control of the shot without having to ask a stranger to get the shot for you.
Did any of these gifts for travelers on a budget make it into your cart? Are you inspired to start planning your own adventure? Let us know! If you have any recommendations, let us know in the comments, and we may include them in a future article!
Did you grow up spending your summers road-tripping across the country? Road trips are easily one of the best ways to see the United States, stopping off whenever you want and exploring America’s small towns and highway hidden gems. We’ve got some of the best gifts for road trips to keep your travels as comfortable and entertaining as possible.
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This article is part our Best Travel Gifts series. If you are looking for even more awesome gift ideas for every type of traveler in your life, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to the Best Gifts for Travelers and the other gift guides in this series:
First things first; let’s ensure all the road trip essentials are covered. These road trip essentials gifts will put everyone’s mind at ease, knowing the basics are covered.
A car emergency kit is a good thing to keep in your car at all times, but especially for road trips. This roadside emergency kit from Always Prepared has everything you could possibly need. The 127-piece kit includes jumper cables, warning triangles, light sticks, a rain poncho, gloves, and so much more. Not only is this a great gift for road trips, but it also makes a great gift for car owners in general!
Snacks are a road trip essential – this is not up for debate. We’ve even covered our favorite road trip snacks in a previous article! A good mix of salty, sour, and sweet is the key here. Of course, you’re going to need something to hold all of your snacks in, and this cooler will keep your drinks and snacks nice and cold.
When you need them, you NEED them. These motion sickness bands by P6 come in two colors and are easy to throw in your glovebox just in case anyone needs them. These bands work by acupressure, a tried and true method that’s been used for centuries. You don’t have to worry about any side effects from drugs, with these bands – they’re all natural and the perfect stocking stuffer!
Road trips are much easier with a car phone mount. Many phone mounts attach to one of your vents, but this phone mount gives you three different options: you can attach it to your vent, on the dash, or to the windshield. It’s completely adjustable and fits both iPhones and Androids, so it’ll fit anyone’s phone. At less than $15, this car phone mount makes a great travel gift for under $50.
If you’ve ever tried to put your head against a car window to sleep, you’re well aware that it’s one of the most uncomfortable sleeping positions ever. Gift your loved one a travel pillow so they can get a comfortable nap in on the road. This one even includes a matching eye mask plus ear plugs!
Road trips are exponentially better when everything has its place. These are some of the best gifts for road trips that will keep travelers organized so the car doesn't end up looking like the inside of a dumpster.
No more, “OK guys, pass your trash up” at every gas station stop. This car trash can keeps everything contained and makes it a breeze to toss when you need to. These car trash cans also make for excellent travel gifts because it’s not something you think of buying for yourself, but once you have one, you’ll start telling everyone you know.
This car seat organizer is a great gift idea for road trips. It fits easily in the back seat and has plenty of pockets to store everything you need, including cup holders.
Keeping everyone entertained on a road trip is a full-time job. Inevitably, some parts just drag. Let’s be honest; you can only play so many rounds of the license plate game, I spy, and 20 questions before the excitement fades away. These gift ideas for road trips will keep the whole car entertained until the next big thing to look at comes around the corner.
Eventually, the backseat is going to resort to screen time, and having a tablet holder can make all the difference in the world. These tablet holders attach easily to the headrest and let the viewer enjoy their show hands-free. Plus, it keeps it from ending up on the floor of the car and potentially getting stepped on.
Some of the best gifts for road trips also make great stocking stuffers! With the holidays quickly approaching, these travel gifts are just perfect for the loved one in your life who's always traveling from one place to another.
Map reading is slowly becoming a lost skill, but you can’t always rely on Google Maps to get you where you’re going. Some of the most beautiful places in the country lack cell service, and you never want to be in a situation where you don't have any signal...and you're lost.
Social Media Manager Kristen Taylor loves this National Geographic Atlas, as it comes in handy when you lose service in remote areas. Just keep it in your glovebox!
Who knew a water bottle could go viral? Stanley Tumblers took the internet by storm this year and for good reason!
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Operations Manager Andrea Limke loves her Stanley Stainless Steel Tumbler. This leakproof, BPA-free cup has a straw and keeps liquids chilled for 12 hours or iced for up to two days.
While a picture or a video may capture the moment, a travel journal will capture your thoughts and emotions better than any digital souvenir ever could. Travel journals are the perfect travel gift for the adventurer in your life, and you can never have too many! Don’t forget to get some cute pens to go with it.
Whether you’re considering van life or maybe you just don’t have a car large enough for a road trip, RVShare opens up a whole new world of possibilities for road trips. RVShare lets you find the perfect RV rental for your road trip, and they’ve got several to choose from! You can even rent a towable RV, so you can still take your car with you.
Compression socks work wonders for promoting the blood flow in your legs, helping to prevent swelling and blot clogs from ruining your travels. You often hear about wearing compression socks on long flights or during pregnancy, but compression socks are also great for running, cycling, and road trips, too!
Did any of these best gifts for road trips make it into your cart yet? If you already own any of these products, share your experience with us in the comments!
